Beautiful Stranger
by Scented Candles
Summary: AU. To save the Jade Emperor and neutralize the curse, the 12 animals of the zodiac must first be found and freed. To do that, Kyo needs to find the Maiden Tohru and protect her from those that want her dead. Eventual YukiKyo and other pairings


**Beautiful Stranger **

**Standard Disclaimer Apply**

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AU. To save the Jade Emperor and neutralize the curse, the 12 animals of the zodiac must first be found and freed. To do that, Kyo needs to find the Maiden (Tohru) and protect her from those that want her dead. Yuki/Kyo

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**Tenjin – **Celestial Maiden 

**Tsukai – **familiar, like animals or spirits that Kyo has control of

**Denpa – **Its Hana's electric waves, its what they're called in Japan

**Chapter One: **

Kyo yawned and waited for his _familiars_ to finish their scouting mission. It was rather lazy of him to let his _tsukai _do the initial reconnaissance but he'd found out earlier that day that he simply didn't have any patience to deal with these asinine teenagers at all.

Especially not their condescending _Prince…_

Kyo was in the same age group, he was seventeen, but he felt very disconnected from these people. Perhaps it had something to do with his upbringing or the fact that he had more things to worry about than whether he was going to pass geometry or not.

He heard someone approaching and sensed the energy disturbance around him. He knew it was her even before Saki Hanajima appeared.

"You're hiding out here again, typical."

Kyo shrugged. "I like high places…" he murmured, sitting up. He was at the school rooftop, the only sanctuary to be had amidst the teenage cesspool also known as Kaibara High.

"It's not conducive to our mission for you to spend more time up here alone than mingling with the locals."

"Relax, I have my _tsukai _deployed. They're scouting the area for any disturbances."

Hanajima sighed and sat down next to Kyo. She did agree with his partiality for high places. She liked them too. The air was much cleaner the higher you went and the airwaves became much more pure.

It was lunch time and a lot of students had opted to go outside and eat at the courtyard. From her position, Hana could see a lot of them milling around like unaware little ants. Her eyes were drawn to a pair of girls walking together; one with blonde hair and the other a brunette with light brow hair.

Kyo noticed the intensity in Hana and peered over her shoulder to see what she was looking at. He grimaced when he saw the blonde. That girl really got on his nerves. She kept on calling him Carrot Top or Orangey which was really annoying. He could probably kill her with a flick of his wrist but he'd promised Hana not to do anything rash…under the threat of being shocked unconscious with her denpa electric waves.

"I think I found the Tenjin…" Hanajima said quietly as she discreetly motioned towards the brown-haired girl walking with the blonde.

"Are you sure?" Kyo asked a little doubtfully. "She doesn't look all that special to me."

"Do you doubt my capabilities then?" Hanajima asked in that airy voice of hers that always freaked Kyo out. It didn't matter how long they've known each other, there was just something about Hana that made the hairs at the back of Kyo's neck rise.

"Of course not," Kyo said a little awkwardly, feeling the air around him become charged with electric waves. He could actually _see _the electric waves starting to crackle along his clothing.

Hana raised an eyebrow and returned to surveying their objective. "She's doesn't feel like a normal human. I've been studying her in the time we've been here and I definitely think that she could be the one."

Kyo didn't reply, to busy breathing a sigh of relied when he felt the air around him normalize.

* * *

Tohru was not having the most pleasant of days. Ever since she had been assigned by her teacher to be partners with Prince Yuki on a project, it seemed that everywhere she turned there was a girl staring hatefully at her. It was ludicrous, this situation, and it would have been funny if only it didn't make her feel so anxious.

Uo had laughed at her during lunch, saying that Tohru was making too much out of it. The blonde had assured her best friend that she would protect Tohru from whatever devious machinations the Prince Yuki Fan Club would come up with.

That was all well and good, but Uo can't really be with her all the time, could she?

Tohru had seen how organized the Prince Yuki Fan Club was and they could probably decimate her in less than .5 seconds and hide her body so no one can be the wiser. Of course since most of the girls at the school were members of the Club, they would no doubt back each other up, providing adequate alibis that would stand up in court.

"Honda-san?"

Tohru was startled by the polite voice and she nearly jumped a foot in the air when she realized that _Prince Yuki _was less than a three inches away from her. _Oh god, they are going to slaughter me…_

"Honda-san?"

Tohru smiled at him gamely, noticing that a genuine note of concern had crept into _Prince Yuki's _voice. It was intimidating to be this close to the School Prince. He was always polite and perfect and it was very hard to find fault with him. She felt her face redden.

"Maybe I should escort you to the clinic…?" Yuki suggested. "We can work on our project later. I have a school council meeting but it shouldn't take too long. We can work at the library for a while and then I can take you home afterwards…"

Being the focus of so many intense glares was doing nothing good for Tohru's composure and she felt her shoulders drooping. The clinic…time alone, away from the hate waves flowing her way. "Uhm, I suppose I do need to lie down for a bit. I _am_ feeling a bit under the weather."

Yuki stood up and smiled. "Here, I'll help you…" he said, taking Tohru by the elbow.

"Oh no, that's okay. I can manage, really…" _Uo-chan, where are you?_

"Don't worry about it Honda-san. It wouldn't do to have you fainting in the halls."

* * *

"Hanajima-san, you're here as well? Are you alright?" Tohru asked when she saw Hanajima sitting on one of the beds inside the school clinic.

Hana tilted her head a bit to the side and took a bite of the strawberry pocky she was holding. "Uhm…" she murmured. "You…?"

"I was only feeling slightly under the weather. Sohma-san was good enough to escort me to make sure that I'm alright."

Hanajima's eyes went from Tohru to Yuki. "How very kind of him…"

"Yes, actually Sohma-san is very kind." Tohru agreed with a nod.

Yuki shifted, his eyes searching for the school doctor. "Where is Minamoto-sensei?"

"She had something she needed to attend to. I'm sure she'll be back soon." Hana said. She stood up and approached Tohru, her flowing black hair floating like a soft black cloud behind her. She lifted a slender, pale hand and pressed it against Tohru's forehead. "You don't feel warm; perhaps you should just lie down for a bit until the doctor returns."

Tohru reddened at Hana's close proximity to her. "Ah…hai…"

Hana turned to Yuki. "I'm feeling much better. Perhaps we should look for Minamoto-sensei so she could take a look at Tohru."

"Uhm, actually I think I'm feeling better already…"

"Nonsense," Hanajima said. "Prince Yuki will come with me to find her for you, just stay and get some rest."

"Uh…okay…" Tohru said as she climbed in one of the bed to lie down. "Thank you."

"We'll be back soon."

* * *

Hanajima was slightly scary.

Okay, she was a lot scary sometimes.

Yuki had seen some of the girls actually go out of their way to avoid the new transferee. Most of those girls, much to Yuki's delight, were members of his fan girls; having Hanajima as his classmate offered some definite perks.

Yuki couldn't help but stare at the girl beside him. She was walking, but her movements were so light and graceful it was almost like she was floating on air.

There was something strange about the new transfer student. In fact, she and that other one, that boy Kyo, were very strange people. There was something mesmerizing about them and something that just didn't _fit right_ though Yuki couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Yuki wasn't a suspicious person by nature. What he was is cautious. He seemed to have an innate sense about people, a sort of instinct if you will.

And every fiber of his being was screaming at him that something was not right with the two new transfer students.

Hanajima was no doubt very beautiful…if strange, with her pale skin and flowing dark hair. He'd actually heard quite a few of his male classmates discussing the mysterious transferee, but most of them didn't dare make a move because she seemed rather distant and out of reach…and if that didn't deter them, then her constant companion – her fellow transferee – Kyo Sohma did.

At first, people had questioned him if he was related to the orange haired boy, and he was pretty sure that Kyo had also gotten the same treatment.

Sohma was a pretty common name in Japan and not every Sohma in the world was his relative anyway.

It was all quite stupid really.

And it was really annoying that the orange haired boy seemed to blame him for every single person that asked if they were related, like it was his fault or something.

"_Geeze, could you tell your drones to get the fuck away from me?" _

"_Excuse me?!" Yuki asked, startled to have someone speak to him in such a tone._

_Kyo rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. "Tell your freak Zombie Mob to leave me alone. I've got more important things to do than answer their questions about you."_

Yuki frowned as he remembered _that _particular conversation. It hadn't been pleasant and he'd ended up calling the other boy _stupid _to his face. He suspected that things would have degenerated farther if Hanajima-san hadn't come by and grabbed Kyo's arm to drag him away.

Yuki shifted when he felt eyes boring into him. He glanced over at Hanajima and realized that she was eyeing him strangely. "Yes, may I help you?"

Hanajima made a thoughtful sound as she chewed another bite of pocky. "I apologize for Kyo's behavior towards you. He's a little high strung because he's not used to being among so many people…especially fan girls. He dislikes squealing girls…rather vehemently…"

Hanajima had delivered her sentence in a flat tone, but the amused glint in her eyes and the small smirk that played about her lips made Yuki somewhat nervous. "Uh…I see…" he said for lack of anything else to say.

"He associates them with bad memories you see," Hanajima explained.

Well, Yuki could understand that. It was a hassle, not to mention an embarrassment. As a member of the student council, he was aware that quite a few squabbles have been started in school with him as the reason. He didn't know why but apparently there was a hierarchy to his fan club and to violate it was some sort of taboo…

It was disturbing, the level of organization they displayed.

"The two of you are close huh?" Yuki hedged.

Hanajima smiled. "You can say that. He's really not so bad you know, once you get to know him."

"No offense, but I don't think he and I will get along very well."

"Oh you will," Hana said with an odd little smile "given time…"**

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**A/N:** My first venture into the Furuba fandom, I hope you guys like it and please do review so I know if I'm doing a good job or not. Thanks.


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